People Category: AIAA SciTech Forum 2023

Sylvie DeLaHunt

Sylvie DeLaHunt, a senior guidance, navigation, and control engineer, supervises the Future Weapon Concepts and Algorithms Section at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). She co-leads the Diversity and Inclusion Working Group for APL’s Air and Missile Defense Sector (AMDS) and is a member-at-large on APL’s Employee Resource Group. Formerly, she was president of the APL Women in Technology affinity group and lead of APL’s Women’s History Month Committee. Active in AIAA, Sylvie is a member of both the Missile Systems Technical Committee and the Diversity and Inclusion Working Group. She serves on the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Awards and Recognition Committee and is a public speaker on the retention of women in collegiate STEM programs. In recognition of her advocacy efforts, Sylvie was the recipient of a SWE 2022 WE Local Engaged Advocate Award, the APL AMDS 2021 Creative Courage Award, and a Johns Hopkins Diversity Leadership Council 2018 Diversity Recognition Award.

Sylvie earned her B.S. (’14) and M.S. (’16) degrees in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland with the support of a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. She continues to serve as an alumna representative on the University of Maryland Department of Aerospace Engineering’s Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Sylvie was named one of Tomorrow’s Engineering Leaders: the 20 Twenties by Aviation Week and AIAA in 2016.

Official Bio

Keith Hoffler

Keith Hoffler is the founder and president of Adaptive Aerospace Group (AAG). He has a wide variety of aerospace research and development experience. Keith and AAG are working with NASA, the FAA, and industry to integrate uncrewed aircraft into the national airspace system, develop means to certify Part 23 aircraft with unconventional flight controls, understand the challenges of flying eVTOL aircraft in urban environments, and address other aerospace challenges. Keith has BS and MS degrees in Aerospace Engineering from North Carolina State University, is a commercial/instrumented rated pilot and a participating member of standards committees. He is an AIAA Associate Fellow and an active member of AIAA Technical and Policy Committees. Keith is in the North Carolina State University Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Alumni Hall of Fame.

Steven D. Howe

Dr. Steven D. Howe received his Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from Kansas State University after completing his thesis research in experimental particle physics at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1980. After a one year stay at the Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe in West Germany as a visiting scientist, he returned to Los Alamos as a staff member in the Thermonuclear Applications Group. During the four years in the group, he was appointed design physicist for two nuclear tests at the Nevada Test Site and supervised research efforts investigating fundamental physics in dense, high temperature plasmas.

Dr. Howe then joined the Laboratory’s systems analysis group that analyzed various concepts proposed for the Strategic Defense Initiative. During this time, he became involved in examining potential Laboratory programs and technologies pertinent to future space missions such as space radiation modeling, antimatter physics, Mars Mission requirements, space debris mitigation, and advanced propulsion technologies.

Dr. Howe has extensive experience in radiation transport modeling. In August, 2015, Dr. Howe stepped down as founding Director of the Center for Space Nuclear Research (CSNR) at the Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls, ID.

For 10 years he led the CSNR in facilitating research and education of nuclear technologies for space exploration. At the CSNR, he initiated the development of a radioisotope-powered Mars Hopper, a revolutionary, small, radioisotope power source for micro-satellites, a new nuclear rocket design that uses low enriched uranium, and the fabrication of tungsten-based fuels for nuclear reactors for power and propulsion in space. He also initiated and oversaw the CSNR Summer Fellows program which has educated over 150 participants from 27 states over a 10-year period in the issues of nuclear technologies in space.

Andrew Maurer

Andrew Maurer is the director of People Analytics, Insights & Technology for Northrop Grumman Corporation. In this role, Maurer is responsible for the development and execution of a comprehensive analytics and technology strategy to optimize the people decisions required to drive our business and create an industry leading employee experience. Maurer is a member of the Human Resources Executive Leadership Team. Maurer joined Northrop Grumman in 2004 as a member of the Future Technical Leaders Program, a highly selective leadership development program. After initial assignments in engineering, he spent almost 10 years in the Mission Systems Sector working in strategy, business development, and operations. Prior to his current role, Maurer led the Enterprise Analytics team and focused on delivering analytics capabilities broadly across the company. He is a strategic thinker who brings a strong background in leveraging systems design approaches to re-engineer the way the work and drive effective and informed decision making. He excels at bridging the gap between strategic goals and operational realities. Maurer earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. Northrop Grumman solves the toughest problems in space, aeronautics, defense and cyberspace to meet the ever-evolving needs of our customers worldwide. Our 90,000 employees define possible every day using science, technology and engineering to create and deliver advanced systems, products and services.

 

Ken Melton

Ken Melton is a communications strategist for the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory’s Air and Missile Defense Sector. In this role, he is the trusted communications consultant to the executive and senior leadership teams and develops and executes communication plans while also managing and creating content for them. In addition, he is also an Adjunct Lecturer of Strategic Communications in Technical Organizations at Johns Hopkins University’s Whiting School of Engineering.

Before joining APL, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, Mr. Melton was their internal communications/employee engagement specialist, lead communication specialist for USDA Farmer’s Market, and several other functional areas. Before this, he served 12.5 years in Marine Corps as an international multimedia journalist, editor, media relations specialist, marketing and PR specialist, and press chief.

He holds a Bachelor’s in Communications Studies from UM-Global Campus and a Master’s Degree in Public Relations from Georgetown University.

 

A.C. Charania

A.C. Charania is NASA’s new chief technologist, serving as principal advisor to Administrator Bill Nelson on technology policy and programs at the agency’s Headquarters in Washington. He will lead technology innovation.

The chief technologist aligns NASA’s agencywide technology investments with mission needs across six mission directorates and oversees technology collaboration with other federal agencies, the private sector, and external stakeholders. The position works within NASA’s Office for Technology, Policy, and Strategy.

“Technology plays a vital role in every NASA mission. Making sure that we’re pursuing the best policy objectives allows this agency to continue to serve as a global leader in innovation,” said Bhavya Lal, NASA associate administrator for technology, policy, and strategy. “A.C. is an experienced leader in managing large, rapidly shifting technology portfolios. I am eager for him to apply his knowledge and enthusiasm at NASA.”

Lal served as acting chief technologist prior to the appointment of Charania, whose first day working at NASA Headquarters was Jan. 3.

“The rate of advancement we seek in the 21st century is dependent upon selecting and maturing a portfolio of technologies into systems to execute our missions,” said Charania. “With this in mind, there are incredible opportunities in partnerships within and outside of NASA. I now look forward to the opportunity to work with the entire community to increase the rate of space and aviation progress.”

Before joining NASA, Charania served as vice president of product strategy at Reliable Robotics, a firm that is working to bring certified autonomous vehicles to commercial aviation. His previous experience also includes working at Blue Origin to mature its lunar permanence strategy, Blue Moon lunar lander program, and multiple technology initiatives with NASA.

He previously worked in strategy and business development for the Virgin Galactic (now Virgin Orbit) LauncherOne small satellite launch vehicle program. He also served in multiple management and technology roles at SpaceWorks Enterprises, including helping to incubate two startups, Generation Orbit and Terminal Velocity Aerospace.

Charania led the formation of the FastForward industry group focused on high-speed point-to-point transportation, was a NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts fellow, and served on the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Commercial Advisory Board. He received a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, and a bachelor’s in economics from Emory University.

Official Bio

Natalie Mallow

Natalie Mallow is a second-year defense stress engineer at Spirit AeroSystems out of Wichita, Kansas, and is a current Board of Director for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Natalie is a previous AIAA Diversity Scholar and an SWE 2021 WE Local Guiding Star award winner.

Mallow, a non-traditional first-generation student, recently graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a degree in aerospace engineering. She is a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community as a bisexual woman and is a member of the disabled community. In addition to serving within SWE for seven years at various levels of leadership, Hahn also served as the Chief Operating Officer of Reinvented Magazine, the nation’s first nonprofit magazine for women in STEM. At her job, she serves on two employee resource groups dedicated to women at Spirit and inspiring and retaining employees.

Currently, Mallow spends her time volunteering with SWE, her company, and other nonprofit organizations, all while being a mother to her newborn daughter.

Brig. Gen. Jason Bartolomei, USAF

Brig. Gen. Jason Bartolomei is the Program Executive Officer for Weapons and Director of the Armament Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. He is responsible for the planning and execution of all life cycle activities for air-delivered munitions, including the Advance Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, Hard Target Void Sensing Fuze, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, Joint Direct Attack Munition; Joint Programmable Fuze, Miniature Air Launched Decoy; and Small Diameter Bomb. His $92 billion portfolio also includes numerous other legacy weapons and ammunition; combat training systems; threat emitters for test and training purposes; and aerial targets including the QF-16 and BQM-167A.